St. Teresa S Catholic Primary School

St. Teresa’s Catholic Primary School

Admissions Policy

Reception Class 2014/15

This Admissions policy has been formally adopted by the Governing Body of this school. In this school the Governing Body is the Admissions Authority and is responsible for determining the school’s admissions policy.

The Published Admission Number (PAN) for Reception class September 2014 is 30.

Applications will be considered on an Equal Preference basis.

How and When to apply

Applications must be made on the Newcastle Local Authority Common Application Form.Parents applying to a Voluntary Aided Catholic school should also complete the supplementary information section.

All application forms must be returned to the Local Authority by the specified closing date. The Local Authority processes information provided and this is subsequently forwarded for consideration to the school’s Admissions Committee

Late Applications

Any applications for September admissions to Reception class received after the closing date will be accepted but considered only after those received by the closing date.

Special Educational Need

Children who have a statement of Special Educational Need which names our school will be admitted to the school.

Oversubscription Criteria

Where there are insufficient places available to meet all parental preferences, priority will be given to applications in the following order:

First priority in each category will be given to children who will have a sibling (see note 3) attending the school in September 2013.

1. Looked after Catholic children in the care of a Local Authority or children that were looked after by a local authority and immediately after that became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order (see definitions).

1. Catholic Children whose home address is within the parish boundaries of St Teresa’s and St Aidan’s parishes.

1. Catholic Children whose home address is outside the parish boundaries of St Teresa’s and St Aidan’s parishes.

1. Looked after children in the care of a Local Authority or children that were looked after by a local authority and immediately after that became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order (see definitions).

1. Other children who will have a sibling attending the school at the time of admission.

1. Children who are baptised or dedicated members of other ChristianChurches as recognised by Churches Together in England (see note 4).

1. Children of other Faith traditions.

1. Other children.

If applicants are seeking admission under criteria 6 & 7 above, they will be asked for a letter of support to confirm their church membership from their minister or Faith leader.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

1.Definition of Catholic

Children who have been baptised as Catholics or have been formally received into the Catholic Church. All applicants seeking admission under criteria 1, 2, or 3 will be asked to provide evidence that the child has been baptised as a Catholic or has been received into the Catholic Church. A baptismal certificate or a letter from their priest confirming their baptism or reception into the Catholic Church will suffice.

2.Definitions of Looked after Children/Adoption, Residence and Special Guardianship Orders

A looked after child is a child who is in the care of a local Authority in accordance with section 22 of the Children Act 1989 at the time the application for admission to school is made and whom the Local Authority has confirmed will still be looked after at the date of admission. An adoption order is an order made under section 46 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002. A residence orderis an order outlining the arrangements as to the person with whom the child will live under section 8 of the Children Act 1989. A special guardianship order is an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian or guardians.

3.Definition of Sibling

Sibling refers to brother or sister, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, step brother or sister, or the child of the parent/carer’s partner where the child for whom the school place is sought is living in the same family unit at the same address as that sibling.

4.Churches Together in England

(See for further details on membership)

The Baptist Union

British Antiochian Orthodox Church

Cherubim and Seraphim Council of Churches

The Church of England

Church of God Prophecy

Church of Scotland (in England)

Congregational Federation

Coptic Orthodox

Council of African and CaribbeanChurches

Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches

Ichthus Christian Fellowship

Independent Methodist Churches

Joint Council for Anglo-Caribbean Churches

Lutheran Council of Great Britain

The MethodistChurch

United ReformChurch

WesleyanHolinessChurch

Tie-breaker

Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion, distance from home address to the school will be the deciding factor, with preference being given to those whose home address is nearest to the school, when measured by GEO CODE availablethrough Newcastle LA. GEO uses the measure of the straight line distance from a fixed point at the school to a point in the centre of the home address of the child, using the LocalLand and Property Gazetteer or a suitable alternative geographical information system.

Right of Appeal

Where a parent has been notified that a place is not available for a child, every effort will be made to help the parent to find a place in a suitable alternative school. Parents who are refused a place have a statutory right of appeal. The Local Authority handles the process on behalf of the Governing Body. Further details of the appeals process are available by contacting the Admissions Team at Newcastle Civic Centre, 0191 232 8520.

Home Address

It is the child’s address which will be used in applying the admission criteria. This means that, when stating your choice of school, you should give the child’s address at the time of application. The address of childminders or other family members who may share in the care of your child should not be quoted as the home address.

If you are offered a place you will be asked for proof of the child’s address, for example, a child benefit statement.

False Information

Where the Governing Body has made an offer of a place at the school on the basis of fraudulent and intentionally misleading information from an applicant, which has effectively denied a place to a child with a stronger claim to a place at the school, the offer of a place will be withdrawn.

Where a child starts attending the school on the basis of fraudulent and intentionally misleading information, the place may be withdrawn by the Governing Body, depending on the length of time the child has attended the school.

Where a place or an offer has been withdrawn, the application will be reconsidered by the Governing Body and a right of independent appeal will be offered if the application is then refused.

Waiting Lists

If your child has been refused admission to Reception class, a waiting list is available where priority will be given according to the above criteria based on the most recent information provided. The school or local authority must be informed of any significant change in circumstances. The waiting list for September 2013 Reception class will be open until January 1st 2014. For further information contact the Chair of Governors at the school address.

Notification of Reception Class places

Places will then be allocated by strict application of the above criteria. Notifications will be sent to parents/carers notifying them as to whether or not their child has been allocated a place on the agreed date.